How can you use technical documentation to train users?

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Technical documentation is a valuable resource for technical support professionals, as it provides detailed and accurate information on how to use, troubleshoot, and maintain a product or service. However, technical documentation can also be used to train users, whether they are new customers, existing clients, or internal staff. In this article, we will explore how you can use technical documentation to train users effectively and efficiently.

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1 Identify the learning objectives

Before you use technical documentation to train users, you need to define what you want them to learn and why. Learning objectives are specific, measurable, and achievable goals that guide your training content and activities. For example, you may want users to learn how to install a software update, how to perform a backup, or how to customize their settings. Learning objectives help you focus on the most relevant and useful information from the technical documentation, and also help you evaluate the outcomes of the training.

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2 Choose the appropriate format

Technical documentation can come in various formats, such as manuals, guides, tutorials, videos, FAQs, or online help. Depending on your learning objectives, audience, and resources, you may choose one or more formats to deliver your training content. For example, you may use a video to demonstrate a complex process, a guide to explain a concept, or a tutorial to provide a step-by-step instruction. You may also use a combination of formats to suit different learning styles and preferences.

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Timothy Poppleton

Project/ Change/ Infrastructure Management, PMO, Technical Author
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Yes, this is important. You need to have a simple and consistent style/ format for your documentation. Keeping a simple look and feed simplified reading. Being a consistent format ensures users know what to expect. For example the way you highlight key points, provide supportive notes, etc.

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3 Adapt the language and tone

Technical documentation is often written in a formal, precise, and technical language, which may not be suitable for all users. Depending on your audience and their level of expertise, you may need to adapt the language and tone of the technical documentation to make it more accessible and engaging. For example, you may need to simplify the vocabulary, use more examples and analogies, add more visuals and screenshots, or use a more conversational and friendly tone. You may also need to translate the technical documentation into different languages if you have a diverse or global audience.

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Timothy Poppleton

Project/ Change/ Infrastructure Management, PMO, Technical Author
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This is a major consideration, especially if you are producing documentation for a multi-lingual audience, i.e. where English may not be the readers primary language. This, in parts, is where the simplicity and consistency in formatting, as covered above comes into play. I have a style of writing, e.g. for installation guides that uses simple descriptive text, with pictures, when appropriate. That also highlights the key activity(es) to complete in each step. The aim being to ensure technical, non-technical and users where English is not their primary language, can all obtain the same end results using the same documentation. When producing IT related guides it is important to remember that your audience will have different skills.

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4 Incorporate feedback and interaction

One of the challenges of using technical documentation to train users is to keep them motivated and interested. To overcome this challenge, you can incorporate feedback and interaction into your training content and activities. Feedback is a way of providing positive reinforcement, constructive criticism, or suggestions for improvement to the users. Interaction is a way of encouraging the users to participate, ask questions, share experiences, or collaborate with others. For example, you can use quizzes, polls, surveys, or comments to check the users' understanding, collect their opinions, or stimulate their curiosity.

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Timothy Poppleton

Project/ Change/ Infrastructure Management, PMO, Technical Author
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Having effective feedback and interaction with recipients of your documentation is very beneficial. As it enables you to adapt your writing style, etc., to ensure it better meets requirements. When producing documentation for users where English is not their primary language, for example, such feedback can be extremely important. To ensure what you are providing meets their level of understanding.

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5 Update and maintain the content

Technical documentation is not a static or final product, but a dynamic and evolving one. As the product or service changes, so does the technical documentation. To ensure that your training content is accurate, relevant, and up-to-date, you need to update and maintain it regularly. This means that you need to monitor the changes in the product or service, review the feedback from the users, and revise the content accordingly. You may also need to add new content, remove outdated content, or reorganize the content to improve its clarity and usability.

Using technical documentation to train users can be a cost-effective, convenient, and consistent way of delivering quality information and instruction. However, it requires careful planning, adaptation, and maintenance to ensure that it meets the needs and expectations of the users. By following these tips, you can use technical documentation to train users successfully and confidently.

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Timothy Poppleton

Project/ Change/ Infrastructure Management, PMO, Technical Author
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Content updating including monitoring and management, is an important requirement for technical document production. This is because over time the technical documentation be needed to meet changes/ updates that are applied, etc. To aid access and management of technical documentation a knowledgebases/ document management service is recommended, This can track changes, access, etc.. Technical documentation needs to be considered in its entirety and includes service catalogues, backup, disaster recovery, inter-dependency (between applications/ services, etc.), patch management, monitoring, etc., related processes. Another consideration is how you ensure secure disposal of technical documentation. A critical security requirement.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Timothy Poppleton

Project/ Change/ Infrastructure Management, PMO, Technical Author
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Having a knowledegebase/ document management repository can simplify giving access to staff members, etc. These document repositories need to be structured to simplify access/ location of the relevant documents, etc. By, for example, minimising the number of steps needed to locate a specific document. This process can be further helped if your document template contains a links and Keyword section that can be utilised in your document repository. Access controls will, however, need to be applied to your document repository to ensure staff, etc., can only access material that is appropriate to them. Additionally, you will need effective achieve and disposal protocols in place, to ensure the published documented are effectively managed.

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How can you use technical documentation to train users?

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1 Identify the learning objectives

2 Choose the appropriate format

3 Adapt the language and tone

4 Incorporate feedback and interaction

5 Update and maintain the content

6 Here’s what else to consider

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How can you use technical documentation to train users?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Identify the learning objectives

2 Choose the appropriate format

3 Adapt the language and tone

4 Incorporate feedback and interaction

5 Update and maintain the content

6 Here’s what else to consider

Technical Support

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